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Community wind developer OwnEnergy's strategy of finding a local partner for its projects could serve as a model for other small-scale wind projects, executives said. A local partner helps the project seem more engaging with the community in the early stages development, said OwnEnergy CEO Jacob Susman. "That's the stage where big out-of-town energy companies tend to do badly and local folks do really well," Susman said.

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EDF Renewable Energy has become the sole owner of OwnEnergy. The deal also included OwnEnergy's eight wind farms, which have a total capacity of 329 megawatts. "OwnEnergy's business model taps into the entrepreneurial spirit of farmers, ranchers and other community leaders across the country with a focus on the midsize market of off-takers," said EDF President and CEO Tristan Grimbert.

Rocky Mountain Power is seeking applications for its Blue Sky program, which helps finance small, community-based wind, solar and low-impact hydro projects in Utah, Wyoming and Idaho. The program, which has been in place since 2006, invested almost $1.8 million into 20 renewable energy projects in Utah last year. Applications will be accepted through May 31.

Seneca Mountain Wind has agreed to scale back its proposed wind project in Vermont's Essex and Caledonia counties to soften the impact on the regional grid. From an initial plan of 90 to 100 megawatts, the company is now looking at a potential 60-MW project, said CEO Jack Kenworthy. "We have to do less in the way of upgrades if we brought the project down by a certain amount," he said.

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission rejected its staff's recommendations and instead voted to extend the certificate of need and amend the site permit for Gamesa's EcoHarmony wind project in Fillmore County. One of the reasons for the PUC's decision was Gamesa's acceptance of "painful concessions" to scale back the project, a company official said.

OwnEnergy helps provide financing support to community-based wind projects, or those involving less than 100 megawatts, said CEO Jacob Susman. Community-based wind projects are usually proposed by local residents, thereby free of the "not-in-my-backyard" complaints usually directed at utility-scale wind projects, said Susman.